Device for drip-free pouring of liquids

ABSTRACT

A device for the drip-free pouring of liquids from bottles includes an elastic material piece, which can be rolled up into a sleeve that can be inserted into the bottle neck. There, it rests against the inside surface thereof and on the outer edge thereof forms a drip edge for the liquid flowing out of the bottle. To this end, the material piece is configured along part of the rim thereof with a section, whereby a tab is formed, which can be placed around the bottle neck and which allows the material piece to be fastened to the bottle.

The present invention relates to a device for drip-free pouring ofliquids out of bottles, consisting of an elastic piece of material whichcan be rolled up to form a sleeve which can be inserted into the bottleneck, wherein the sleeve rests against the inner surface of said neckand its external periphery forms a separating edge for the liquidflowing out of the bottle.

Such a device is known, for example, from EP 560777 B1. In that case itis an elastically deformable piece of material which is designed with aliquid-repellent surface and which can be rolled up to form a sleevewhich can be inserted into the neck of a bottle from which a liquid isintended to be taken, for example into a wine bottle. As a result of theelasticity of the piece of material, the outer surface of the sleeverests tightly against the inner surface of the bottle neck and thatperiphery of the sleeve which is outside the bottle forms a separatingedge for the liquid emerging from the bottle, as a result of whichdrip-free finishing of the pouring process is made possible.

Known devices of this type, which are referred to as spouts, aremass-produced articles which can be produced at low cost. As a rule,these spouts are packaged individually and sold as such. The packagingthus gives rise to costs which exceed the costs of manufacture.

When such spouts are used in households, they are only required in smallquantities. However, when such spouts are used in cateringestablishments, a separate spout is used for each bottle of wine. Sincethere is thus a very high demand for such spouts in cateringestablishments, it is expedient to package them in large quantities,this resulting in considerable cost savings.

This means, however, that there is a need in catering establishments fora spout also to be made available to the patron when he is being serveda bottle of wine. As long as this spout is packaged, this is readilypossible. However, if this spout is in an unpackaged form because it hasbeen taken from a pack containing a large quantity of spouts, a way mustbe found of handing it over to the patron in an appropriate manner.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the piece ofmaterial is designed with a slit, forming a strap which can be placedaround the bottle neck, as a result of which the piece of material canbe attached to the bottle.

As a result of this design, the unpackaged spout can be attached forexample to a wine bottle and in this way be handed over to the patron.

Preferably, the slit runs close to, and in particular parallel to, theperiphery of the piece of material, wherein it can have a length of 20%to 50% of the periphery of the piece of material. Furthermore, theregions at the ends of the strap between the latter and the rest of thepiece of material are preferably designed with predetermined breakingpoints along which the strap can easily be detached from the rest of thepiece of material. As a result, the spout can easily be removed from thebottle. In a preferred embodiment, the strap has a width of from 0.5 to6 mm.

A particular advantage of such a spout is also that it can be providedwith printing, as a result of which it can also be used either as anadvertising medium or as a kind of tag with information about theproduct, in particular about the wine in question.

According to a preferred first embodiment, the piece of material is inthe form of a rectangle with an extension protruding transverselytherefrom, the width of this extension being somewhat greater than theexternal diameter of a bottle neck, wherein this extension isapproximately in the form of a semicircle at its free end, and the slitextends along the periphery of the extension, as a result of which thestrap is approximately in the form of a half ring which rests againstthe bottle neck. In this design, the strap encircles the bottle neck.

According to a preferred second embodiment, the piece of material is inthe form of a rectangle with an extension protruding therefrom, whereinthe extension is approximately in the form of a triangle, the base ofwhich is the same length as the rectangle and which is rounded oppositethe base, and wherein furthermore the slit extends along the freeperiphery of the extension, as a result of which the strap isapproximately in the form of a bow which rests against the bottle neck.In this design, too, the strap encircles the bottle neck.

In a preferred third embodiment, the piece of material is in the form ofa rectangle with an extension protruding therefrom, wherein theextension is approximately in the form of a triangle, the base of whichis the same length as the rectangle and which is rounded opposite thebase and wherein furthermore the slit is located at that periphery ofthe region of the spout which is remote from the extension, as a resultof which a strap is formed, by means of which the spout can be attachedto the bottle neck.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in greater detail belowwith reference to three exemplary embodiments illustrated in thedrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of anapproximately full size spout according to the invention,

FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 a show two different views, on a smaller scale than inFIG. 1, of a bottle to which this spout is attached,

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of anapproximately full size spout according to the invention,

FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 a also show two different views, on a smaller scalethan in FIG. 3, of a bottle to which this spout is attached,

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a third exemplary embodiment of anapproximately full size spout according to the invention, and

FIG. 6 and FIG. 6 a also show two different views of a bottle, on asmaller scale than in FIG. 5, to which this spout is attached.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first spout 1 which is formed by a piece ofmaterial which has an approximately rectangular region 11 and anextension 12 protruding therefrom at right angles, wherein the free endof the extension 12 is designed with a semicircular periphery. Thisspout 1 consists of a rigidly elastic foil made of aluminum which iscoated on both sides with polyester and has a thickness of about 0.15mm. In order to be used correctly, this spout 1 is rolled up to form asleeve and inserted by way of the region 11 into the mouth of a bottle,with the extension 12 being located outside the bottle. The sharp-edgedperiphery of the extension 12 forms a separating edge which ensuresdrip-free finishing of the pouring processes.

The extension 12 has a width which is somewhat greater than the externaldiameter of the bottle neck. Furthermore, along the periphery of thefree end of the extension 12, the spout 1 is designed with a slit 2running parallel to this periphery, forming a strap 3 which can be bentaway from the spout 1 such that the latter can be attached by this strap3 to a wine bottle 4 by the strap 3 being fitted over the bottle neck41, as is illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 a. The strap 2 has, forexample, a width of 2.5 mm.

In this way, the spout 1 can be handed over to a patron in an attractivemanner at the same time as a bottle 4 of wine, in which case it does notneed to be packaged. As no packaging is thus required, a considerablecost saving is achieved.

In order to be able to remove the spout 1 easily from the bottle 4,those regions in which the strap 3 merges into the region 11 aredesigned with predetermined breaking points 31 along which the spout 1can easily be detached from the strap 3.

Such a spout 1 can additionally be provided with printing which servesfor advertising purposes or which serves as a kind of tag for providinginformation about the product contained in the wine bottle, such asdetails about the wine.

By means of a spout according to the invention, firstly considerablecost savings are thus achieved. Secondly, a spout according to theinvention can be used as an advertising medium or as a source ofinformation. Since the strap 3 is moved away from the spout 1, the edgeformed by the slit 2 represents the separating edge for the liquid.

The spout 1 a illustrated in FIG. 3 differs from the spout 1 accordingto FIG. 1 only in that an approximately triangular extension 12 aadjoins the approximately rectangular region 11 a, the base of thistriangular extension being the same length as the approximatelyrectangular region 11 a, and the edge opposite its base also beingrounded.

This extension 12 a is also designed with a slit 2 a running parallel toits periphery, forming a strap 3 a which can be bent away from the spout1 a such that the latter can be attached by this strap 3 a to a winebottle 4 by the strap 3 a being fitted over the bottle neck 41, as isillustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 a. In those regions in which the strap3 a merges into the region 11 a, this spout 1 a is also designed withpredetermined breaking points 31 a along which the spout 1 a can easilybe detached from the strap 3 a.

The spout 1 b illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from the spout 1 a in FIG. 3in that it is designed on the side opposite the triangular extension 12b with a slit 2 b running parallel to the periphery of the spout 1 b, asa result of which a strap 3 b is formed on that side of the spout 1 bwhich is inserted into the bottle neck 41.

The particular advantage of this embodiment is that, despite provisionof the strap 3 b with which the spout 1 b can be attached to a bottle 4,this strap 3 b is provided on that side of the spout 1 b which isinserted into the bottle neck. As a result of this, it is not necessaryto detach the strap 3 b from the spout 1 b for pouring.

Otherwise, the spouts 1 a and 1 b have the same design, analogousfeatures and the same function as the spout 1 according to FIG. 1.

1-9. (canceled)
 10. A device for the drip-free pouring of a liquid froma bottle, comprising: an elastic piece of material configured to berolled up to form a sleeve for insertion into a neck of the bottle,wherein said sleeve rests against an inner surface of said neck and anexternal periphery forms a drip edge for the liquid flowing out of thebottle; said piece of material having a slit formed therein, defining astrap to be placed around the neck of the bottle for attaching saidpiece of material to the bottle.
 11. The device according to claim 10,wherein said slit runs in close vicinity to one peripheral edge of saidpiece of material.
 12. The device according to claim 11, wherein saidslit extends parallel to said one peripheral edge.
 13. The deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein said slit extends over a length of 20% to50% of a periphery of said piece of material.
 14. The device accordingto claim 10, wherein said strap has end regions connecting the strapwith a remainder of said piece of material, and said end regions areformed with predetermined breaking points along which said strap isdetachable from the remainder of said piece of material.
 15. The deviceaccording to claim 10, wherein said strap has a width of between 0.5 and6 mm.
 16. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece ofmaterial is provided with printing.
 17. The device according to claim10, wherein said piece of material has a generally rectangular shape,with an extension protruding transversely therefrom, said extensionhaving a width greater than an external diameter of the neck of thebottle, and having a semicircular shape at a free end, and wherein saidslit extends along a periphery of said extension and said strap issubstantially in the form of a half ring which rests against the neck ofthe bottle.
 18. The device according to claim 10, wherein said piece ofmaterial has a generally rectangular shape, with a substantiallytriangular extension projecting therefrom, said extension having a basewith a same length as the rectangular shape and a rounding opposite thebase, and wherein said slit extends along the periphery of saidextension and said strap is approximately in the form of a bow whichrests against the neck of the bottle.
 19. The device according to claim10, wherein said piece of material has a generally rectangular shape,with a substantially triangular extension projecting therefrom, saidextension having a base with a same length as the rectangular shape anda rounding opposite the base, and wherein said slit is formed at aperiphery of said piece of material remote from said extension, and saidstrap is disposed opposite from the rounding of said extension.